C-diff epidemic in USA and Europe hits home. (Personal update)

Your help is needed to battle super germs (Yes, You...Your help)

What you can do to help stop the epidemic:

1. Wash your hands with soap and water frequently. (Alcohol scrubs don't kill, "C. diff,"a spore former.)
2. Do not use antibacterial soaps.
3. Be sure you re-test for the causal agent after any course of antibiotics.
4. Use probiotics (Unsweetened yogurt with live cultures (Add fruit and sugar at home if desired., raw fermented cabbage, kimchee, raw sauerkraut (homemade)), or tablets).
5. Post the list of what should be cleaned in your hospital room if you go to the hospital.  (Don't believe naively that it is because the patient's resistance is down...).
6. Note that alcohol (including the convenient foam scrubs) doesn't kill spore formers.  Use soap and water... the old-fashioned bar soaps.
7. Encourage others you know to join the fight against super germs.  Get antibiotics out of our meats and dish detergents, soaps and laundry detergents.  Was your hands with soap and water often.  When you need to take a prescribed antibiotic, follow the directions, do what your medical doctor says, and also, get re-tested after you finish the prescribed course of antibiotics, if possible.

You can get a chart for current recommended cleaning at the CDC:  TERMINAL CLEANING

http://www.cdc.gov/HAI/toolkits/Environmental-Cleaning-Eval-Worksheet-10-6-2010.xls
Just having a copy of this evaluation worksheet lets hospital personnel know you are savvy about important medical issues.  Being savvy may get you better medical care.

The worksheet is an Excel (R) spreadsheet that keeps data  for each surface on the check list for every room monitored. It uses the following symbols for marking:
O = NOT CLEAN,    X = CLEAN,   LEAVE BLANK = NOT EVALUABLE     NOTE - USE CAP LETTERS "X" AND "O"

What is cleaned in each room?  (Or, what should be cleaned in each room?)
Bathroom Surfaces
Equipment Surfaces
Surfaces Cleaned for Each Room
Bed rails
Tray table
IV pole
Call box / button
Telephone Bedside table handle
Chair
Room sink
Room light switch
Room inner doorknob
BR(Bathroom) inner doorknob
BR light switch
BR handrails
BR sink
Toilet seat
Toilet flush handle
Toilet bedpan cleaner
IV pump control
Monitor controls
Monitor touch screen
Monitor cables
Ventilator pane

Add....stethoscopes and similar equipment...  Dr. J

Alcohol is not sufficient to kill the super germs. 
Earlier post, which still contains useful information:
I haven't written in a while because my mother was in the hospital for an elective procedure (The medical people incorrectly thought it would give my Dad a rest) where she contracted a hospital super germ Clostridium difficile. This super germ causes a serious infection of the colon and can kill you. She is 89 and survived, thank God. To avoid or lessen such disasters, soap and water and chlorine bleach should be used for cleaning at hospitals.

To help stop the epidemic:

1. Wash your hands with soap and water frequently. (Alcohol scrubs don't kill, "C. diff,"a spore former.)
2. Do not use antibacterial soaps.
3. Be sure you re-test for the causal agent after any course of antibiotics.
4. Use probiotics (Unsweetened yogurt with live cultures (Add fruit and sugar at home if desired., raw fermented cabbage, kimchee, raw sauerkraut (homemade)), or tablets).

For more information on Clostridium difficile and other super germs, check out the CDC web sites (Center for Disease Control):  http://www.cdc.gov/hai/organisms/cdiff/Cdiff_settings.html.

I am preparing for the Botanical Society Meetings which will be held in Vancouver this year, jointly with other societies. I will be writing more soon.


Originally published on 29 June 2008 10:44 AM Pacific Standard Time
Revised 5 March 2014 to include the following:

Aseptique Technique: Preventing or Alleviating Problems

Today I saw a program on ABC's Good Morning America about organisms like bacteria living in make-up. If anyone has much knowledge of basic biology, he or she knows that micro-organisms are ubiquitous. The program did a good job of educating viewers to not keep make-up beyond a reasonable shelf-life so that the abundance of microbes in the make-up is kept to a minimum. I would like to further extend this concept to include aseptic technique.

What is aseptic technique? Most people understand, "sterile," kills microbes. For example, an autoclave uses steam heat and pressure to kill micro-organisms. Aseptic technique keeps contamination to a minimum rather than killing off all micro-organisms. When you scrub your hands with soap and water well, rinse them, then use a clean towel to shut off the water and open the door leaving the bathroom, you are using good aseptic technique, for example. Poor technique? You wash your hands and then open the door picking up bacteria, viruses, fungi, and mycoplasmas left behind by the people who didn't wash their hands. A few more examples of [applied] good aseptic technique:

• capping toothpaste
• closing the toilet seat before you flush
• not putting food (or medicine) back into it's container when you don't use it all (rather use a separate (labeled)container---not to contaminate the source container)
• not flailing open petri dishes around a room
• surface sterilizing surfaces (like computer key boards)
• not using antibiotic soaps and detergents (Using such antibiotics unnecessarily allows microbes to adapt to them and makes them less useful in battling human diseases. The bacteria develop resistance and won't help cure you when needed... How many doctor's offices and hospitals have I seen where they have antibacterial soaps? This can create super germs like MRSA, C-diff, VRE, and how many more?)
  
• Not using antibiotics unnecessarily in other areas, like milk and meat production (same reason)
  

Let's look at some dictionary definitions, then, I'll give you more examples.

technique, aseptic,

n task performed in a sterile environment in order to avoid contact with harmful bacteria. [Source: http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/aseptic+technique Accessed May 12, 2010.]

Aseptic technique is a set of specific practices and procedures performed under carefully controlled conditions with the goal of minimizing contamination by pathogens. [Emphasis is Dr. J's. Source: Aseptic technique is a set of specific practices and procedures performed under carefully controlled conditions with the goal of minimizing contamination by pathogens. [Emphasis is Dr. J's. Source: http://www.answers.com/topic/aseptic-technique-surgical-term. Accessed May 12, 2010]

Of these two definitions, the second one shows a better understanding of microbes, even though the first one is labeled, "medical," and is a common misuse of the term aseptic. While aseptic and sterile are similar, they are not the same. You see, aseptic technique is used on surfaces like your hands, which can't be autoclaved while you are living anyway. You can't, "sterilize," your hands. Rather, one does one's best to eliminate pathogens by washing with soap and water. One can use the alcohol squirts to enhance but not to replace soap and water. That is important to understand. Why? The soap and water kills some pathogens the alcohol doesn't! Using both is good practice by anyone who understands germs.

Two further sections from www.answers.com/topic/aseptic-technique-surgical-term are presented and I encourage you to go to the source and read it. This reading applies to medical uses and so people may feel it doesn't apply to them. It does and I will try to show you how further on.

Aseptic technique is employed to maximize and maintain asepsis, the absence of pathogenic organisms, in the clinical setting. The goals of aseptic technique are to protect the patient from infection and to prevent the spread of pathogens. Often, practices that clean (remove dirt and other impurities), sanitize (reduce the number of microorganisms to safe levels), or disinfect (remove most microorganisms but not highly resistant ones) are not sufficient to prevent infection. [Source: http://www.answers.com/topic/aseptic-technique-surgical-term. Accessed May 12, 2010.]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that over 27 million surgical procedures are performed in the United States each year. Surgical site infections are the third most common nosocomial (hospital-acquired) infection and are responsible for longer hospital stays and increased costs to the patient and hospital. Aseptic technique is vital in reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with surgical infections. [Source: http://www.answers.com/topic/aseptic-technique-surgical-term. Accessed May 12, 2010.]

I have seen too many people pick up nosocomial infections at the hospital. I don't want anyone to blame another elderly person for getting a super germ because that elderly person is old and has bad immunity. I want people to immediately look for flaws in aseptic technique. Be vigilant. Don't let yourself or your loved ones be blamed. Of course strengthening immunity is a good thing, too. But, many diseases could be avoided, even with lowered immunity, if good aseptic technique is used.

Sample nosocomial infections people I have known have acquired at hospitals:

• mycoplasma leading to 5 miscarriages
• VRE
• MRSA
• c-diff leading to internal bleeding
• pneumonia leading to death
  

Keep reading, I will tell you later how one of my community college students stopped an epidemic in Boston after learning of aseptic technique in my biology class. I really am a stickler for that. If you don't get aseptic technique, you fail. Why? Because if you don't get it, I won't let you get out. Your lack of aseptic technique can kill whole cities...

For now, let's look at some additional definitions. Here's one from microbiology:

Microbiologists and students of microbiology may use an aseptic technique to attempt to keep specimens of microorganisms free of microbial contamination. People may commonly use the aseptic technique when transferring bacteria from one test tube or flask to another. Such a procedure, using a flame sterilization method, might occur as follows.

1. A person would assemble the closed tube or flask from which, and the closed tube or flask to which the specimen is to be transferred, an innoculating loop , and a fire source, all on a clean, preferably microbe-free surface with some overhead protection from airborne microbes.
2. The person would start the fire, and move the end of the innoculating loop, in a slow back-and-forth motion, through the top of the blue part of the flame. The person would not allow the loop to touch anything except the specimen itself, until the entire procedure is finished.
3. Preparing to execute the specimen transfer, the person would hold both of the tubes or flasks in one hand, probably the opposite of the writing hand. The person would then open the tube or flask containing the specimen source and briefly hold the top of it in the flame, to kill unwanted microbes.
4. Quickly, so as to minimize the possible time for contamination of the specimen in the source tube or flask, the person would use the innoculating loop with their writing hand to retrieve the specimen, and then sterilize the top of the tube or flask again before immediately closing it.
5. Keeping in mind that the specimen on the innoculating loop could be contaminated during every unit of time it is exposed, the person would repeat the previous step identically with the tube or flask in which the specimen is to be deposited; however, the person would be depositing the sample into the tube or flask. [Source: http://www.bio-medicine.org/biology-definition/Aseptic_technique_in_microbiology/; Accessed MAy 12, 2010.]
   

You can see how the prior definitions were in medical settings and this one is in a laboratory setting. How could you use this at home? People canning their own food use similar techniques. But, even with a tube of toothpaste, you can keep the cap between your pinky and ring finger while you squeeze out the toothpaste and then re-cap the tube. While not perfect, it does keep out many more germs than laying an open tube on the sink and dropping the cap anywhere. Can you see that? Not to make you a fanatic, this explanation is to help explain that aseptic isn't sterile but is less contaminated than ignoring microbe populations.

Here is another quote on aseptic technique:

Clinical areas outside of the operating room generally do not allow for the same strict level of asepsis. However, avoiding potential infection remains the goal in every clinical setting. Observation of medical aseptic practices will help to avoid nosocomial infections, or those acquired in the hospital. General habits that help to preserve a clean medical environment include:

• Safe removal of hazardous waste (i.e., prompt disposal of contaminated needles or blood-soaked bandages to containers reserved for such purposes).
• Prompt removal of wet or soiled dressings.
• Prevention of accumulation of bodily fluid drainage (i.e., regular checks and emptying of receptacles such as surgical drains or nasogastric suction containers).
• Avoidance of backward drainage flow toward patient (i.e., keeping drainage tubing below patient level at all times).
• Immediate clean-up of soiled or moist areas.
• Labeling of all fluid containers with date, time, and timely disposal per institutional policy.
• Maintaining seals on all fluids when not in use.

These general practices are important for keeping the environment as free of microorganisms as possible. In addition, specific situations outside of the operating room require a strict application of aseptic technique. Some of these situations include:

• wound care
• drain removal and drain care
• intravascular procedures
• vaginal exams during labor
• insertion of urinary catheters
• respiratory suction [Source: http://www.novelguide.com/a/discover/genh_0002_0001_0/genh_0002_0001_0_00078.html Accessed May 12, 2010]

The above quote is again related to clinical settings. Can you think how to expand it to your every day life? Do you wash the empty sugar canister or ketchup bottle before re-filling it?

Here's a quote geared to nurses and showing a problem. Can you spot it? I'll help you:

A surgical scrub requires use of a long-acting, powerful, antimicrobial soap[Eek! Why create super germs when you don't have to!!!! Eek!!!!!! Use soap and water, scrub well...leave the antibacterial soaps with added antibiotics alone...We should stop making them.], careful scrubbing of the fingernails, and a longer period of time for scrubbing. Institutional policy usually designates an acceptable minimum length of time required. Thorough drying is essential, as moist surfaces invite the presence of pathogens. Contact after handwashing with the faucet or other potential contaminants should be avoided. The faucet can be turned off with a dry paper towel, or, in many cases, through use of foot pedals. Despite this careful scrub, bare hands are always considered potential sources of infection. An important principle of aseptic technique is that fluid (a potential mode of pathogen transmission) flows in the direction of gravity. With this in mind, hands are held below elbows during the surgical scrub and above elbows following the surgical scrub. [Source: http://www.enotes.com/nursing-encyclopedia/aseptic-technique; Accessed MAy 12, 2010.]

I am sure that many nurses were taught that way, and many doctors, too, but, think for yourself. Super germs develop resistance to antibiotics by frequent and improper use of antibiotics. These soaps sell well and make money but are, to the best of my thinking, an improper use. What do you think? If regular good hand-washing with ordinary soap works so well, adding the antibiotic to, "antibacterial," soaps is overkill, misuse and dangerous in the long run (yielding superbugs with nothing to kill them), isn't it?

You don't want, or at least shouldn't want, a sterile home. Why? You need good micro-organisms. Here's an example which may help you see why. I know a woman who cleans her home and herself trying to kill every microbe. The result, she and her daughter have vaginal infection after vaginal infection. You need good microbes to keep out bad ones. No matter how much I try to explain why some germs are needed, the good ones, she insists that all are bad. She kills off the bacteria and gets fungal infections. It is important to understand the balance of nature in any discussion of aseptic technique. Simply, an area populated with healthy, good-for-you germs, resists infection by bad germs and, as a result, helps you stay healthy.

I encourage you to use good aseptic technique in your home. Please remember that I am not a medical doctor. I do however have my doctorate and I have studied chemistry, biology, physics, microbiology, mycology and many subjects that medical doctors study. I have taught future doctors and nurses and allied medical professionals for years. Use your doctor for medical advise. My post should help you understand how the basic biology fits into the reality of life and point you to sources that can help you in discussions with your doctor. I want to encourage you to use your own brain in making decisions to wash your hands and in drawing conclusions from discussions with your doctor. In using this information, you accept that I am not giving you medical advice and the information is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. Your use of the information is at your own risk. The post, simply a discussion of good hygiene and aseptic technique, for your information and to assist you in reading and developing your scientific literacy. Be well.
.
I may add more later, but, I'll stop for now. I will go wash my hands... and eat yogurt. I hope you are laughing. I am teasing a bit. I do like yogurt and I do wash my hands before eating, after riding the trains, after going to the bathroom (oh, and before going to the bathroom, too...no sense adding anything unwanted to my flora.). So, teasing to serious again in a way that I hope helps you to remember aseptic technique.

The reading method here: checking many sources of definitions and thinking about all of them...a science literacy tool.

Coming soon: How the student stopped the epidemic in Boston...


http://tts.imtranslator.net/AIvw

http://www.edexcel.com/migrationdocuments/BTEC%20Nationals%20from%202010/Unit_15_Microbiological_Techniques.pdf
(c)1975-2010. J S Shipman.

BMI calculator for adults from the CDC

...

"Disclaimer

"Placement of the CDC.gov widget or gadget is to be used only as a marker to the CDC.gov site and a channel for CDC.gov content. The use of a widget, gadget or link does not indicate any form of endorsement or approval from CDC, the Coordinating Center for Health Information and Service, the National Center for Health Marketing, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services."

BMI For Adults Widget

Nutrition Club and Information. Response here supports this science education blog

Please read this article

eHealth Literacy:
Essential Skills
for Consumer Health
in a Networked World
Cameron D Norman, PhD1 and Harvey A Skinner, PhD, CPsych2 (Click here to read now)

J Med Internet Res. 2006 Apr–Jun; 8(2): e9. Published online 2006 June 16. doi: 10.2196/jmir.8.2.e9.

PMCID: PMC1550701

Copyright © Cameron D Norman, Harvey A Skinner. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 16.06.06. Except where otherwise noted, articles published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, including full bibliographic details and the URL (see "please cite as" above), and this statement is included.

• Traditional Literacy
  
• Information
  
• Media
  
• Health
  
• Computer
  
• Scientific
  
  
  
  ^{more coming.... Under development--- (meanwhile read the article directly, if you like)}
  
  
  
  
  ¹Centre for Clinical Epidemiology & Evaluation, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute and Department of Health Care & Epidemiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; and Centre for Global eHealth Innovation, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
  Cameron D Norman, Centre for Global eHealth Innovation, 190 Elizabeth Street, Toronto, ON M5G 2C4, , , Canada, Phone: +1 416 854 3805, Fax: +1 416 340 3595, ; Email: cameron.norman@utoronto.ca. and, ²Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

Time to build immunity in your classroom?

"Immunity and You," Curriculum Available
This curriculum from Cornell will enable you and your students to learn about immunity.

I have posted related vocabulary words here. You can therefore double click on them for meanings and pronunciations. You might also want to use them to create a, "Word Wall," in your classroom. Perhaps each student could design a card and write the definition, too, for the wall.

AIDS Allergy Amino Acid Antibody Antigen Antihistamine Bacteria Disease Fungi Genes Histamine Genetic Recombination Homeostasis Immunity Immune System Insulin Lipid Microbes Organs Pancreas Parasites Pathogen Quarantine Receptor Molecule Recombination Synthesis Template Tissue Trait Tumor Vaccine Virus

Get rest, eat healthily, play healthily, and enjoy life. Build your immunity.

One Viewpoint on Global Health Care (Available in Several Languages)

Posting this link does not indicate support or lack of support for the ideas presented. In other words, the view of the blogger is not, or is not necessarily, presented.

The viewpoint presented is that of the company IBM and suggests a sustainable health care system from its perspective: http://www-03.ibm.com/industries/healthcare/doc/content/landing/2955767105.html?re=gihclshome

It is presented to serve as a discussion starter. Your viewpoints and comments are welcome in the comments (Click on, "Comments," below the post.) For Earth to have sustainable systems, all our voices, ideas, and effort are needed. Yours are welcome!

Dr-J

How do you use your science knowledge?

Applying knowledge is a higher order thinking skill.

Do you use your science knowledge to better the world?

Do you help eradicate noxious weeds? Invasive species?

Do you mentor youth?

Do you vote wisely?

Do you educate others?

Do you wash you hands frequently?

Do you eat, sleep, rest, play and in other ways live a healthy lifestyle?

Do you shop thinking about the environment?

Do you make choices that contribute to world peace?

What do you do?

How can you use science to help you make decisions?

In the United States, and elsewhere, many people are often concerned about their weight, how can you use science to evaluate whether you want a macrobiotic diet, a lap-band ventura or anything in-between?
lap-band ventura

Evaluating any decision regarding your health and lifestyle requires sound scientific principles. People are often aware of processes of scientific method(s). Some students, and grown-ups, too, will think of these methods in science class, but forget to use them in every day life. Making sound decisions leads to better health and improved longevity.

Across grades K-12, researchers have focused on ways that students investigate, model, discuss, and understand increasingly sophisticated mathematics and science concepts. Source: http://www.wcer.wisc.edu/ncisla/research/. Accessed December 28, 2007.

Because of global warming, alternative energy, water use and other complicated social and environmental issues, people need to rely on basic science skills like evaluating data.
As a result of the societal and personal needs, decision making is being increasingly included in school curricula, for example, http://earthsys.ag.ohio-state.edu/Decision/aboutdm.htm, Ohio Sea Grant's education project for development of electronic curricula for decision making using Great Lakes data.
But, it takes more than "book-learning" or even internet-learning to make decisions. Higher order thinking skills are essential. Let's look at a sample set of educational standards on this topic:

National Educational Technology Standards (NETS)

# Standard 6: Technology Problem-solving and Decision-making Tools
* Students use technology resources for solving problems and making informed decisions.
* Students employ technology in the development of strategies for solving problems in the real world.
Source: http://www.k12science.org/curriculum/weatherproj/teacher_curriculumstandards.html. Accessed December 28, 2007. The standards, like the ones shown above, often suggest the end result for students. But how do they get there? How do we, adults, get there when we make decisions? Whether picking shampoo, or choosing the best presidential candidate, whether selecting a diet, exercise routine or surgery, we (students and mentors alike) need good decision making skills. We need to think deeply.

I have found that encouraging high school students to use the HOT Skills wheel has helped them to develop the skills necessary to be able to make decisions well. What are HOT Skills?

Let's look at HOT skills related to making a decision on the lap band.

Knowledge

Comprehension

Analysis

Application

Synthesis

Evaluation

1. Knowledge
2. Comprehension
3. Analysis
4. Application
5. Synthesis
6. Evaluation

Source: http://www.youngstown.k12.oh.us/pyett/thinking/index.htm. Accessed December 28, 2007.

Knowledge: Do you know what a lap band is? Journey Lite specializes in Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding which is also known as LAGB or the LAP BAND System procedure. The LAPBAND Adjustable Gastric Band is designed to help you lose excess body weight, improve weight-related health conditions and enhance quality of life. It reduces the stomach capacity and restricts the amount of food that can be consumed at one time.

There's a quote from some of the LAPBAND advertising . It tells some information about the LAPBAND. This information falls in the "knowledge" category of thinking.

Another "knowledge" skill is to "list." Can you list products or lifestyle changes that compete with the LAPBAND? If you used the internet, or pamphlets at your doctor's office or from a medical or nursing text to list products and lifestyle changes that could acheive the same goals of the LAPBAND, you would still be in the knowledge category.

Comprehension: Do you understand the ideas gathered so far? The types of thinking you can do if you understand are:

• interpretation of facts, compare, contrast
• order, group, and infer causes
• predict consequences
• understanding information
• translation of knowledge into new context
• grasping meaning

How would you interpret the facts? Could you make a chart comparing the LAPBAND to competitors products? Could you talk to people who had the procedure and to people that made other life style choices and compare their answers?

Analysis: Do you see patterns? How are parts organized? DO you recognize any hidden meanings? Can you identify components?
Application: You can apply the data when you use information, methods, concepts,and theories in new situations. Solving problems by using required skills or knowledge is also, "application." For example, did you apply math skills that you already have to analyze the data.
Synthesis: Can you generalize from given facts, relate knowledge from several areas, predict, draw conclusions and use old ideas to create new ones? assess value of theories, make choices based on reasoned arguments, verify value of evidence, recognize subjectivity, compare and discriminate between/among ideas.

(c)2007 J S Shipman. Used by Read-about-it.blogspot.com with the author's permission.

A Rose by any Other Name...

A rose by any other name is still a rose...

From Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, 1594:

JULIET:
'Tis but thy name that is my enemy;
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
And for that name which is no part of thee
Take all myself.

Source: http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/305250.html
Accessed December 28, 2007

...but, a weed by any other name, some may call noxious, invasive, or, still others may call it medicine...

Many so-called weeds are medicinal plants. Still, noxious weeds are a major problem...http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/bmnri/weeds.htm
It becomes an ethical problem to balance the different needs together with the use/abuse of weed-killers. Did you know many "weed-killers" also kill trees?

If you are interested in weed science, you might want to check out the following link:
http://www.wsweedscience.org/

Other resources:

http://www.fws.gov/invasives/volunteersTrainingModule/outreach/players.html

Traditional medicines
Contact information:

Dr Xiaorui Zhang
Traditional Medicine, Essential Drugs and Medicines Policy (EDM)
WHO/Geneva
Fax: +41 22 791 4730
E-mail: trm@who.int

Clayton College of Natural Health

Some books you might enjoy:

• National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers : Eastern Region
• Complete Guide to Medicinal Herbs by Penelope Ody
• The Herbal Handbook : A User's Guide to Medical Herbalism by David Hoffman
• Principles of Medicine in Africa by Eldryd Parry (Editor), Richard Godfrey (Editor), David Mabey (Editor), Geoffrey Gill (Editor)
• Planetary Herbology (Paperback)by Michael Tierra (Author) "Healing herbs are everywhere..."

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/052180616X/ref=s9_asin_title_1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=02XDZTVW11PQW7M0ZZEC&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=320448701&pf_rd_i=507846

,

OnVacation? Traveling?

First of all, enjoy your vacation. Relax.

If you are you traveling, did you know that insect, plant and animal pests might travel with you? That is the reason that we have rules about bringing fruits and meats and other items when we travel. It is also the reason that plant crops are inspected and that plants and animals are quarantined when they first arrive in the United States. Following the regulations means...You don't spread pests...or, at least you limit their spread as much as you can.

Here is a United States Department of Agriculture website about regulations and permits:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/permits/index.shtml

Here's a quotation from the Animal and Plant Inspection Service (APHIS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) website:

APHIS works to protect the health and value of American agriculture and natural resources. APHIS International Services (IS) supports this mission in an international environment by:

(1) safeguarding the health of animals, plants, and ecosystems in the United States;

(2) facilitating safe agricultural trade;

(3) ensuring effective and efficient management of internationally-based programs; and

(4) investing in international capacity-building through various training programs abroad to enhance technical, administrative, and diplomatic skills and competencies.

APHIS' international mission is to protect and promote U.S. agricultural health through internationally-based animal and plant health expertise.

Source:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/international_safeguarding/index.shtml

Other countries also safeguard their people. Some countries are still developing their regulations. It is international cooperation that protects all of us.

Scientists in agriculture or ag-related fields are vital to safe-huarding the public. Are you interested in a career in agricultural science?

Wash your Hands: Stay Healthy

The simple act of washing your hands with soap (bar soap) and water can help prevent many diseases.

Sleeping well and building your immune system is a good idea, too. Kimchee pickles, raw fermented cabbage (sauerkraut) and yogurt with live cultures help build up your probiotics thus using ecology of the body's communities of good microorganisms to enhance your health.

You can read about the bird flu at:
http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Global+spread+of+H5N1

Went through 80 loaves of bread brands...

To find bread without high fructose corn syrup. Please read the following article, submitted by a reader. Thanks for the post.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/food/341888_fructose01web.html